http://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=9301
--- Comment #3 from Jörg Höhle hoehle@users.sourceforge.net 2007-08-14 03:32:10 --- An 800x600 wine virtual desktop window inside a larger X screen is what I constantly use, as that has given me best results over the years, with various apps. Otherwise, some (old) apps may cause the X display to flicker, change resolution (IIRC) or other weirdness; iconification in X produces very strange results, often enough the app terminates instead of recovering (lacking a "restore window" functionality). Using a desktop prevents all these graphical effects: the apps just sit there and know nothing about other resolutions and X windows. Also, I can iconify the desktop, while some apps (e.g. winecfg) do not provide an icon button. All in all, the virtual desktop gives me the best environment, except when full-screen makes sense (for some games or regedit's large window).
<feature-request ;>Alas, I cannot set per app full-screen preferences. Otherwise, I'd let regedit and selected games open full-screen, keeping the virtual desktop default for most other apps.
I was using .9.15 for comparison because I happen to have it in a separate directory. Whereas .38, .36, .31 .28 get overwritten each time I upgrade via bzcat diffs.bz2 | patch -p1.
BTW, I've never had the winecfg toggle "allow window manager to control windows" have any observable effect. I typically have it set.